Leadership

Thinking back to my childhood, I do not recall a conversation on leadership.?

Growing up, my understanding of leadership was that at home our father was the head of the family and therefore its leader. Outside of the home, the person at the top leading a group of people such as a president or a headteacher is a leader. It was never discussed or mentioned that leadership cuts across different roles, it transcends gender, age, race, religion, nationality, it applies to all scenario’s including one-self.?

Later in life, especially during my working career, I had the benefit of being exposed to engaging conversations, leadership courses, forums, books, online content and interacting with various leaders.??

I have come to appreciate there is no single definition of leadership. Leadership is diverse and varies, it occupies all aspects of our lives.??

I recently came across a Forbes article on leadership by Kevin Kruse, the CEO of Leadx and author of Great Leaders have no rules which resonates with me. In the article he discusses what leadership is not in the four points below:?

1. Leadership has nothing to do with seniority or one’s position in the hierarchy of a company.?
2. Leadership has nothing to do with titles.?
3. Leadership has nothing to do with personal attributes.??
4. Leadership is not management.??

In my experience, when it comes to leadership, we at times focus on the external (other people). Yet, leadership also relates to oneself, it begins with you. One must be willing to introspect and ask hard questions.??

Peter Drucker, considered the founder of modern management, defined self-leadership as being “a chief captain or CEO of your?own life”, you need to be able to self-direct, motivate and remember to celebrate your own success. By mastering self-leadership, one can achieve both personal and professional goals.

As you explore aspects related to your leadership, remember to be authentic and stay authentic.?

What will be the outcome of your internal mental conversations to master Self, as aptly laid out by John C. Maxwell, will you achieve “Uphill hopes" and overcome "downhill habits” where do you see yourself?

“If you cannot lead yourself, how can you lead others? Before leading others, you have to lead yourself first.”? ― Debasish Mridha.

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